American Humanist Association (AHA)

Information

The American Humanist Association advocates progressive values and equality for humanists, atheists and freethinkers in the United States. We work to promote humanism--the idea that you can be good without a god.

AHA Updates

Humanist Press is the publishing house of the American Humanist Association, providing material for the humanist/freethought/atheist market since 1995.

With the largest print book seller in the United States now selling more ebooks than paper books, it was time the freethought movement invested in the future of publishing so that we can remain relevant and accessible to readers in the U.S. and around the globe.

With new ebooks becoming available on a bi-monthly basis, Humanist Press will have a regularly expanding catalog of interest to atheist and agnostic humanists everywhere. Visit HumanistPress.com

Darwin Day is a global celebration of science and reason held on or around Feb. 12, the birthday anniversary of evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin.

On this website you can find all sorts of information about Charles Darwin and the International Darwin Day Foundation. If you are hosting a Darwin Day event, you can post information about it on our events listing. You can also locate Darwin Day programs near you by searching our events section.

Let Humanism Ring! The American Humanist Association is pleased to announce that its 73rd Annual Conference will be held June 5-8, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Join hundreds of humanists, atheists and freethinkers in Philadelphia for a four-day celebration of humanism! The American Humanist Association will feature informative lectures, book signings, celebrity guests, networking opportunities, child care, fun activities and more!

Book your room early by calling the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel at 1-800-325-3535 (mention the American Humanist Association) or visit the AHA’s Personalized Reservation Page to get the special rate of $169 per night (subject to taxes). Rates increase after May 5, 2014 so reserve now!

You need to be a member of American Humanist Association (AHA) to add comments!

On Feb. 12 we'll commemorate the anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, a celebration around the world known as Darwin Day, to appreciate the advancement of human knowledge and the achievements of science and reason. It must also be a day when we push back against the politicization and undermining of science by ideologues and zealots.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Charles Darwin, who changed the course of human history by bringing science and reason to the fore. His theory of evolution by natural selection not only provided a compelling explanation for the diversity of life on earth, it became the foundation of modern biology, genetics, and medicine. His scientific curiosity and discovery led to breakthroughs that have helped humanity solve innumerable problems and improve our quality of life.

(Washington, D.C. – February 7, 2012) Humanists and atheists are hopeful that the strong decision issued today by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturning a gay marriage ban in California will be upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. The 2-1 decision declares that the ballot measure called “Prop 8” passed in 2008 denying same-sex couples from getting married violates the U.S. Constitution under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.

The 128-page ruling states, “Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples. The Constitution simply does not allow for 'laws of this sort.'"

“This is a clear cut victory for LGBT Americans, and equal protections guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution must be upheld,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “Even though supporters of the discriminatory Proposition 8 have promised an appeal, it is difficult to see how they can prevail given the strength of today’s decision.”

The rest of the press release can be found here; the text of the ruling can be found here.

Bible courses, offered as elective "literature" classes, are being considered by lawmakers in Arizona and have already been approved in South Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Since these classes are not mandatory and are supposed to be taught with religious neutrality, there has not been a great deal of public opposition to them. Some school districts within the states where they are allowed still choose to not offer them at all.

To read the rest of this article by AHA Executive Director Roy Speckhardt, click here.

Submit your idea for a caption for this photo and receive a special prize—a random book from the American Humanist Association’s library in Washington DC! Think of it as the humanist version of Woot.com’s Random Bag of Crap. It’s random. It’s mysterious. Who knows which book it will be?

African Americans may be the most religious minority in the United States, but many feel that the churches don’t speak for them. AAH hopes that the campaign will bring attention to the presence of and increase in religious skepticism within the black community, encourage those who have doubts about religion to share their concerns and join other freethinkers in their local communities, and educate many about the history of black freethought.

Ads began appearing January 30 and January 31 in New York City; Washington, DC; Los Angeles; Chicago; Atlanta; and Durham, North Carolina. On February 6, the campaign will be launched in Dallas. Advertisements will be placed on roadside billboards and in public transit sites. The Stiefel Freethought Foundation provided substantial creative and financial support for the campaign.

New Century Elementary School which also houses the West Regional Branch Library has decided to use their announcement sign to advertise a Christian store, Blessings Unlimited. The sign reads "VISIT BLESSINGS UNLIMITED WWW.FB.COM/DEUT288". The Facebook page advertises a business selling Christian gifts and home decor. Your tax dollars at work!

The Humanist Hour #70: Humanist Community Project at Harvard

In this month’s podcast, Jes Constantine and Todd Stiefel speak with Harvard University’s Humanist Chaplain, Greg Epstein, about the Humanist Community Project. Plus, hear a followup interview with Dr. Darrel Ray about his new book: "Sex and God: How Religion Distorts Sexuality."

Can a Candidate Be Too Religious?

by American Humanist Association President David Niose

When Rick Santorum did surprisingly well in the Iowa caucuses on January 3, many Americans started taking a serious look at his views. One revelation that quickly came to light was that the former Pennsylvania senator, a devout Catholic, takes his religion very seriously. In fact, via news accounts appearing immediately after the Iowa caucuses, many Americans learned that Santorum, like his church, is highly critical of birth control and believes that nonprocreativ....

This makes Santorum more Catholic than the typical American Catholic. Although the Vatican considers contraception not just a sin, but a mortal sin, most American Catholics, preferring to cherry-pick from the moral standards of their church, simply don't accept such religious dictates. They may identify as Catholic, but they'll use condoms and/or the pill, and they'll even get a vasectomy or tubal ligation once they've decided they've had enough kids.

Humanist Crossword Puzzle: The Beginning and the End

Humanist Chaplains and Conscientious Objectors

By E. James Lieberman

The claim that there are no atheists in foxholes is false. The armed forces include the whole spectrum of belief, even in the heat of battle. More important is the fact that there are conscientious objectors in the military today—some religious, some not. Since there is no draft, the only conscientious objectors in uniform are those unfamiliar with traditional peace churches; only after enlistment do they realize that they cannot participate in war. They have a difficult time trying to leave the military without getting an undesirable discharge.

The Center on Conscience & War (CC&W), founded in 1940 as the National Service Board for Religious Objectors, has grown from a small group of traditional peace churches (Quaker, Mennonite, Brethren) to be more inclusive. The CC&W advisory board includes dozens of organizations including the American Humanist Association. Roy Speckhardt recently told CC&W director, Maria Santelli and me about the AHA’s effort, with the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, to introduce humanist chaplains into the armed forces. The fact that evangelical chaplains—the vast majority—are against it is upsetting, even if not surprising. CC&W often consults with military chaplains, and now includes one (retired) on its board.

Read the rest of the article from the latest issue of Humanist Network News here: http://hmn.st/x8O5wg